Careful Versus Casual: Deliberate Actions

As I considered a topic for this week's post, I have been

thinking of the inspiring address given by 

Sister Becky Craven in the April 2019 General Conference 

of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints 

titled "Careful Versus Casual".

Here is one statement from her talk:

There is a careful way and a casual way to do 

everything, including living the gospel. 

As we consider our commitment to 

the Savior, are we careful or casual?

I hope to string together several rather random thoughts

building on the title of Sister Craven's address

(not necessarily Gospel-related).

The opening image is of the Double Arch Stone Bridge
near Stoddard, New Hampshire. This is the identifying sign
that is posted nearby to explain its importance.

Text on the sign: This twin arch structure, built without mortar
and sustained solely by expert shaping of its arch stones,
is typical of a unique style of bridge construction employed
primarily in the Contoocook River Valley in the first half
of the nineteenth century.

(I include this pic with Vince on the bridge so that we can
PROVE we were actually there - I have seen postcards of it
and don't want to be accused of "harvesting" from the internet.)

We "stumbled" on it - as we each drove by at highway speed,
traveling in separate vehicles -
to drop off a loaner car for the Sisters serving in Keene,
a college town in western New Hampshire. I had seen
pictures of the bridge before, but didn't know where it was
and was NOT expecting to come across it on this trip.
There are two Careful Vs. Casual things here.

First is the bridge, which would not have served its purpose
for all these years, to span the rugged river, without the
CAREFUL planning and construction of its engineers.
Second, if both Vince and I had NOT been scanning the beautiful
scenery as we traveled independently, our CASUAL
mindsets might have missed this very lovely scene. 

I've maxed out my limit, I know, of Fall foliage images,
but when we parked in the apartment for the Keene Sisters,
this tree was within touching distance - I couldn't resist.
And that leads me into the DELIBERATE nature of
all these deciduous trees: you CANNOT enjoy having
trees that grow abundantly with myriad leaves and think
you can escape the "what happens next" part of the equation,
which is, that leaves fall, and create a mess and possibly
cause other problems or dilemmas. 
For instance: extra stress on branches that can break and crash
as was the case with this home near the Manchester chapel.

Leafy trees help with heat control in summer,
provide cooling shade, beautiful color and privacy.
But when autumn comes and they fall OFF the trees . . .

. . . they need to be raked . . . .
(this above is near 'Old North Bridge' in Concord, MA;
we were there after a wind storm, and it was
worse than snow to walk through)

 . . . and bagged and placed for trash collection . . . 
(this was for ONE WEEK's cleanup; repeated

for several weeks)

. . . and just look at the reduction in privacy for 

the nearby next street neighbors near our apartment building

(we had no idea how CLOSE, though we could hear

activities through the out-of-doors summer months).

Another lesson about being CAREFUL that I have learned
concerns artwork by local Manchester Ward artist
William Earnshaw Sr. 

This is a print from a composed
watercolor-and-glazed torn tissue paper original of 
the Boston Temple, this one framed by us and adorning
our apartment walls. A larger, nicer reproduction hangs
in the Mission Office, so we see it every day. Son Bill Jr. tells us
that when his father set out to create art using this medium,
he always made several originals, hoping that one will turn out ok.
(Brother Earnshaw has retired now, but we heard a reference
about Bro. and Sis. Earnshaw in Stake Conference today
which indicated that their life work is serving and helping others.)

Now from the sublime to the silly:
Here is a selfie by Elder Warner who is always
very DELIBERATELY finding ways to inject humor into
his mission duties and the experiences of the young
Elders and Sisters.

This week was busy Transfers Day when new missionaries
have arrived and are being paired with their new
training companions, as other new assignments and
reorganization is taking place for which a few dozen
missionaries come and go through the chapel building hallways.

Elder Warner wanted to help them remember that he
is ALWAYS concerned about their driving safety,
and is therefore "watching" them.

Finally, for this discussion, I mention that we were pleased 
this week again to visit Concord, MA and 'Old North Bridge'.
(Above is the re-posted summer picture;
below was this week's autumn image from up the hill.)

I have read and re-read portions of "American Spring"
by author Walter Borneman (recommended by good friend
and ambitious reader Pamela Morgan).
As the events unfolded at that confrontation that resulted from
a "shot heard 'round the world", no one knows who
fired the first volley. The momentous conflict and birth of
a nation began in a non-DELIBERATE or accidental manner.

In contrast, we said goodbye to seven missionaries
 this week who have completed their last "Transfer" 
after having served 18 or 24 months CAREFULLY following
mission rules, living exemplary lives, striving each day
"to bring others to Christ" by sharing the Gospel
with everyone they can, and spending hours each day
searching for and FINDING those that will listen.
Well done, good and faithful servants! 
We admire and love you.